Managing The Holiday Blues

‘Tis the season! How could anyone not love this time of year? The spirit of the holidays is in the air, there’s shopping to do and there are festivities to attend and family gatherings to enjoy. The holidays are a wonderful time of year but for many people they can also be a time to experience sadness, anxiety and irritation – in other words, the holiday Blues.

Many of us experience the holiday blues during the five weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year. There are parties to attend and that can cause over indulgence, and lack of sleep. During the holidays we’re expected to spend more time with family, for many people that’s a very stressful endeavor. The financial demands of the holiday can be extremely burdensome on people who have suffered job loss or under employment. We tend to overbook ourselves more during the holidays, which can also cause stress. If you have kids, they’re probably underfoot more due to the holiday break at school.

Even the best of us can become downright depressed during the holidays. If you find that the notion of all that holiday cheer just gets you down there are some things you can do to make the holidays a little less depressing:

1. Don’t overbook yourself. Decide which events and activities you want to attend and which ones you don’t. Don’t guilt yourself into accepting invitations if you don’t want to attend. Don’t volunteer to bake cookies for the day care or office if you really don’t want to do it. Be frugal with your time. You don’t need to make excuses, you can simply say “I’m unable to do that this year, but thank you for thinking of me”.
2. Try to let go of resentment during the holidays (and all through the year). If you dread gathering with family over the holidays because you and your sister just don’t get along don’t stew over the relationship. Accept the relationship for what it is – that it has limitations – and let go of any resentment. You’ll find you’ll have a much more enjoyable time if you let go of the negative thoughts that tend to fester during the holidays. If you have trouble letting go of the negative thoughts get out and do something with someone. Being alone is a great way to over think everything so make an effort to go out and do something different and exciting to get your mind off the bad relationship.
3. Lower your expectations – It’s difficult not to get swept up in all the holiday magic. From TV shows and movies to commercials that fill the airwaves this time of year – expectations are unrealistically high. Lower them a bit and you’ll be much happier.
4. Volunteer – It sounds like just one more thing to do during the holiday season – which could cause stress – but the act of giving can be a wonderful mood lifter. If you can’t donate your time you can donate money or blood. Even offering a “Happy Holidays” to a stranger can lift a blue mood. Give it a try.
5. Acceptance – If you’ve tried all of these suggestions and you still can’t seem to shake the holiday blues allow yourself to feel blue, but keep in mind if feelings of sadness and anxiety last for more than two weeks it might be a good idea to seek professional help.

If you’d like to talk to someone about dealing with depression during the holidays, please give us a call at 312-818-4998.